Research Report for 2013

Department's Report on scientific and organizational activities in 2013

Research

General characteristics of Department's main scientific achievements

Our primary goal is to inform Russian philosophers, scientists and broadest public circles in general on the latest developments in contemporary Western thought. In 2013 our investigations were focused on the most recent problems of modern civilization, covering various areas of knowledge and human activities: life philosophy; the nature and essence of humanity; new tendencies and positions in knowledge; cultural bias of society’s development; the problems of democracy and human rights; justice; ethical categories as fundamental concepts underlying human relations. Our scientific research was supported by translations of classical texts in 20-th Century Western philosophy in Russian. Our research is essentially linked with social, economic, political, legal and moral problems that Russian society is now facing, we expect our work to promote humanization of social relations, development of rational thinking, ethical and democratic behavior of citizens and educate participants of a democratic society. Our research links the latest ideas of Western thought with the educational process in Russian universities and is used both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

General characteristics (results)

In 2013 our scholars worked in following field areas:

1. Philosophy in the USA

а) Modern trends in analytical philosophy were studied: philosophy of language and consciousness, scientific realism and functionalism, theology and education (“philosophy for children”), as well as the reception of American pragmatism in Europe and interaction between the two philosophical traditions (French and American) as represented by Bergson and W. James. Scientific Results are presented in: Consciousness. Practice. Reality: Nina Yulina in Memoriam, ed. by I.D. Dzhohadze. M.: Canon +, 2013. 304 P. (In Honour of Dr. Philosophy. Science, Chief Scientific Officer Institute of Philosophy N.S. Yulina [1927-2012]).

б) Philosophical ideas of a famous Harvard University professor Hilary Putnam were studied. Research was focused on Putnam’s theory of truth as “an idealized rationality”, his objections against metaphysical realism, relativism and non-cognitivism. Putnam’s interpretation of pragmatism and his debate with Richard Rorty were reconstructed. Additionally, some aspects of Robert Brandom’s inferentialism were discussed (philosophical ideas of this leading representative of Pittsburgh School of neo-Hegelianism are insufficiently presented in russian publications).
Scientific Results are presented in: Igor Dzhokhadze. Hilary Putnam’s Pragmatic Realism. M.: Canon+, 2013. 288 P.

2 Hermeneutic philosophy of Paul Ricoeur

Our new book, Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M. : Canon, 2013 . 488 p., presents scientific results of a collective research on Paul Ricoeur, the classical thinker of modern philosophy. The problems discussed in this volume range from Ricoeur’ hermeneutics and modern issues in epistemology, hermeneutic approach to the history of philosophy to morality and ethics, problems of translation in the context of Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation; the doctrine of time, memory and forgetting and oth. Several publications in this volume are centered around the question of Ricoeur’s “practical wisdom”, his notion of philosophy and dialectics, ideas on social action and its sense, the importance of social institutions, etc. Articles in this volume bring together and discuss most significant viewpoints on this famous French philosopher. Altogether, this volume presents a full-scale examination of Ricoeur’s philosophy and is a major scientific event in contemporary studies in Western thought.

3 Psychoanalysis and contemporary Western Philosophy

Our new book, V. Starovoytov. Modern psychoanalysis. Main schools and the lines of development. M.: Canon + , 2013. 319 p., is a critical study of two major schools of contemporary psychoanalysis “ego psychology” and “object relations theory”. It presents critical analysis of positivist elements in Sigmund Freud’s “orthodox” psychoanalysis. Starovoytov shows that there is e certain tendency in modern psychoanalytic theory: a steady trend for pairing psychoanalytic concepts with different ideas of phenomenology, existentialism , hermeneutics.

4 French Philosophy. History and Modernity

Viktor Vizgin (Gaston Bachelard’s philosophy of science. M.: Center for Humanitarian Initiatives, 2013. 287 p.) analyzes the evolution of epistemological views Gaston Bachelard, one of the most prominent French philosopher of science in the 20. Century. Vizgin gives an survey of Bachelard’s concept of science and its history, its relation to the positivist tradition and shows the links to scientific revolutions of the twentieth century. The author focuses on such topics as the “approximacy of knowledge”, idea of “epistemological obstacles”, he examines how epistemic creativity within Bachelard’s work is embodied in his concept of “material imagination”. “Poetics disaster” in the history of literature, Georges Kangilema’s (1904–1995, Bachelard’s disciple) philosophy and historiography of science concept provide an intellectual context to the key ideas of the famous French thinker.

Victor Vizgin. Essays on the history of French thought. M.: IFRAN, 2013. 133 p. Another Vizgin’s book published this year investigated some key figures in the history of French of 18–20. century thought: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, François-René de Chateaubriand, Germaine de Staël, Maine de Biran, Henri Bergson, Alexander Kozhevnikov, Pierre Hadot, and Gabriel Marcel. Some of these thinkers are not usually associated with existential philosophy, but they are all to a certain extent practice “existential”, artistic style of philosophizing and have made a significant contributions to existentialism as a philosophical movement that emerged in France in a close unity with literature. With regard to the existential philosophical thought “proper”, the book examines some aspects of Gabriel Marcel’ ideas and its reception in modern Russian thought in particular.

Most significant research published in 2013

1. Mind. Practice. Reality: In Memory of N.S.Yulina. М.: 2013. 304 p. (84х108 1/32, ISBN 978-88373-356-6).

Collective volume «Mind. Practice. Reality: In Memory of N.S.Yulina» consists of articles by Russian and foreign authors, experts in modern Western philosophy, pedagogy and social psychology, covering problems of Anglo-American analytic philosophy, pragmatism, scientific realism, theology and education.

2. Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M. : Canon, 2013 . 488 p. (84х108 1/32, ISBN 978-5-88373-312-12).
The book includes materials related to several Ricoeur’s visits to Russia: lectures given at the Institute of Philosophy in Moscow in September 1993 at the International Conference as well as lectures dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rene Descartes (Moscow, 1996). This book combines biographical and philosophical essays with a more personal memoir and offers some unique photographic documents related to his Moscow visits (see above for more details).

Full list of publications:

Books:

Victor Vizgin. Essays on the history of French thought. M.: IFRAN, 2013. 133 p.
Viktor Vizgin. Gaston Bachelard’s philosophy of science. M.: Center for Humanitarian Initiatives, 2013. 287 p.
Igor Dzhokhadze. Hilary Putnam’s Pragmatic Realism. M.: Canon+, 2013. 288 P.
Vladimir Starovoytov. Modern psychoanalysis. Main schools and the lines of development. M.: Canon +, 2013. 319 p.

Collective volumes

Mind. Practice. Reality: In Memory of N.S.Yulina. М.: 2013. 304 p. (84х108 1/32, ISBN 978-88373-356-6).

Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M. : Canon, 2013 . 488 p. (84х108 1/32, ISBN 978-5-88373-312-12).

Classical texts and translations

Gabriel Marcel. [Transl. from French.:] On boldness in metaphysics, Victor Vizgin. St-Petersburg.: Nauka, 2013. 411 p. (ISBN 978-5-02-037119-4).
Karen Horney. [Transl. from French.:] Self-analysis. Vladimir Starovoitov. М.: Kanon, 2013. 288 p. (84х108/32, ISBN 978-5-88373-301-6).

Articles

Irina Blauberg. Meetings on the Philosophers’Walk (on the issue of the Franco-German philosophical relations in 19th century) // Voprossy Filosofii (Problems of Philosophy). 2013. No. 8. P. 155–165.

Irina Blauberg. H. Bergson and W. James: about some agreements and disagreements // Consciousness. Practice. Reality. M., 2013. P. 117–139.

Irina Blauberg. The history of philosophy in France: some problems and dilemmas // History of Philosophy: Challenges of the 21st century. M., 2013. P. 262–272.

Irina Blauberg. About the conference // Ibid. P. 322–325.
Irena Vdovina. Milestones of a creative biography // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 11–22.
Irena Vdovina. Paul Ricoeur: The practical wisdom of Philosophy // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 267-276.
Victor Vizgin. Culture in resonance: Dostoyevkij – Vyach. Ivanov – G.Marcel // F.M.Dostoyevkij i kultura serebrjannogo veka (F.M.Dostoyevkij and the culture of the 'Sliver Age'). M.: Vodolej, 2013. P. 207–222.
Victor Vizgin. The Crisis of the Modernity Project // Nauka. Filosopfia. Religia. (Science. Philosophy. Religion). М.: 2013. P. 126–157.
Victor Vizgin. "Koyre's books were a true revelation for me". Conversation with Alaine Segon // ПЛАТОНИКА ZHTHMATA. Issledovanja istorii platonisma. (Investigations in the history of Platonism). М.: Krug, 2013. P. 655–673.
Victor Vizgin. Hermeneutik theory and scientific revolution: towards a new interpretation of Francic Yates' thesis // Gosudarstvo, religija tcerkov v Rossii i za rubezhom (Government, Religion and Church in Russia and abroad). 2013. № 1. P. 92–100.
Victor Vizgin. Towards a renewal of the history of philosophy: ad hoc meditations // Filosopfskij Zhurnal (Philosophical Journal). 2013. № 2. P. 70–82.
Victor Vizgin. N. Berdjaev and G. Marcel // Nikolai Aleksandrovich Berjaev М.: ROSSPEN, 2013. P. 174–194.
Victor Vizgin. Gabriel Marcel's Existential thought // Gabriel Marcel. On boldness in metaphysics. St-Petersburg.: Nauka, 2013. P. 5–31.
Victor Vizgin. Levinas on the difference between Buber' and Marcel' philosophical positions // Gabriel Marcel. On boldness in metaphysics. St-Petersburg.: Nauka, 2013. P. 364–367.
Victor Vizgin. The concept of 'person' in Gabriel Marcel's Philosophy // Gabriel Marcel. On boldness in metaphysics. St-Petersburg.: Nauka, 2013. P. 368–384.
Victor Vizgin. The limits of bergsoniasm and the legacy of Bergson: Gabriel Marcel on Henry Bergson // Gabriel Marcel. On boldness in metaphysics. St-Petersburg.: Nauka, 2013. P. 385–395.
Victor Vizgin. Nikolai Berdjaev and Gabriel Marcel: philosophical encounters // Gabriel Marcel. On boldness in metaphysics. St-Petersburg.: Nauka, 2013. P. 396–409.
Igor Dzhohadze. Robert Brandom and His Critique of “Representationalism” // The Days of Science of Philosophy Faculty – 2013.‘Philosophy in an Age of Science’ by Hilary Putnam (review) // Voprosi Filosofii. 2013. № 3. P. 181–184.

Igor Dzhohadze. Fact/Value Dichotomy: The Fourth Dogma of Empiricism? // Consciousness. Practice. Reality: In Memory of Nina Stepanovna Julia / Ed. by I.D. Dzhokhadze. M., 2013. P. 153–170.
Olga Machulskaja. In search of sense // Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences). 2013. № 2. P. 95–100.

Olga Machulskaja. The problem of translation adequacy in Paul Ricoeur // Paul Ricoeur. М.: Kanon+, 2013. P. 409–421.
Igor Mikhaylov. German reception of pragmatism. The early periods // Consciousness. Practice. Reality: In Memory of Nina Stepanovna Julia / Ed. by I.D. Dzhokhadze. M., 2013. P. 89–116.
Igor Mikhaylov. Reply to V.V. Vanchugov concerning "On actions and intentions of a historical scientist..." // Filosopfskij Zhurnal (Philosophical Journal). 2013. № 1 (10). С. 14–16.
Vladimir Starovoytov. The problem of "I", personhood, Self in Paul Ricoeur and contemporary psychological and psychoanalytical investigations // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 393–408.
Vladimir Starovoytov. Annals of an Epoch and the Testament of the Teacher // F.Ch. Kessidi: Times and destinies. М.: Gumanitarij, 2013. P. 5–6.
Alexander Tschikin. (Postgraduate student). A. Schopenhauer and the invention of 'body' as a philosophical problem // Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences). 2013. № 5. P. 22–37.
Alexander Tschikin. The concept of "embodied cognition" in cognitive science // Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences). 2012. № 11. С. 140–148 (vol. No. appeared in 2013).

Translations

Irena Vdovina. [Transl. from French.:] Michel J. Le sens des institutions // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 311–326.
Irena Vdovina. [Transl. from French.:] L'engagement cоmme "proche" et comme "socius" // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 346–359.
Irena Vdovina. [Transl. from French.:] Romele A. Economie et reconnaissanse. Perspectives ricoeuriennes // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 360–374.
Irena Vdovina. [Transl. from French.:] Paul Ricoeur. [Imagination in discource and action] // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. С. 452–474.
Igor Dzhohadze. [Transl. from English.:] H. Putnam. Relativism and Positivism // I. Dzhokhadze. Hilary Putnam’s Pragmatic Realism. M., 2013. P. 194–197.
Igor Dzhohadze. [Transl. from English.:] Are Values Made or Discovered? // I. Dzhokhadze. Hilary Putnam’s Pragmatic Realism. M., 2013. P. 198–222.
Zoya Zaritovskaya. [Transl. from English.:] Stirano M. A Child as an Investigator // Consciousness. Practice. Reality: In Memory of Nina Stepanovna Julia / Ed. by I.D. Dzhokhadze. M., 2013. P. 263-288.
Dmitri Kibalchich, Igor Dzhohadze. [Transl. from English.:] Kizel A., Against Monologic Educational Discourse: The Dialogical Philosophy of the Democratic Education, in: Consciousness. Practice. Reality: In Memory of Nina Stepanovna Julia / Ed. by I.D. Dzhokhadze. M., 2013. P. 272–288.
Olga Machulskaja. [Transl. from French.:] Monique Castillo [Autonomy, identity, ability to reason with Ricoeur on the urgent problems of our time] // Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences). 2013. № 8. P. 51–59.
Olga Machulskaja. [Transl. from French.:] Monique Castillo [Pluralism] // Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences). 2013. № 11.
Igor Mikhaylov. Faces of German Philosophy [aphorismen and positions on the role and significance of German Philosophy] // Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences). 2013. № 5. (inner cover of the journal).
Julia Rossius. [Translation from Italian:] Spaventa B. Italian Philosophy in its connection to European Philosophy // Filosopfskij Zhurnal (Philosophical Journal). 2013. № 2 (11). P. 54–69.
Alexander Tschikin. [Transl. from English.:] D. Pellauer: narrative time and narrative action // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 295–310.
Alexander Tschikin. [Transl. from English.:] G.Marcello: from conflict to Марсело Г. От конфликта к reconciliation and back: some considerations on Ricoeur's dialectics // Paul Ricoeur in Moscow. M.: Canon, 2013. P. 375–392.

Reviews and discussions

Irina Blauberg. Review of the monograph: A.A.Krotov. Malebranche and Cartesianism // Istoriko-filosofskiy ezhegodnik – 2013 (History of Philosophy Yearbook). M., 2013. P. 377–384.
Dmitri Kibalchich. History of Philosophy: Challenges of the 21st century (review), Philosophical Sciences (Filosofskie Nauki), 2013. № 1. С. 147–158.
Dmitri Kibalchich. The Philosophical Career of Paul Ricœur (review), Philosophical Sciences (Filosofskie Nauki), 2013. № 8. С. 147–157

Scientific and organizational work

Organization of scientific sessions, conferences and meetings

Conferences

In 2013 году the Department organized two conferences (one international and one nation-wide).

• 2013 г., May 28–29 – International conference «The Wisdom of Philosophy» (Mocsow, IPh RAS). Organizing Committee: D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg, D.Sc. in philos. Irena Vdovina, Dmitri Kibalchich, Olga Machulskaja, Ph.D. in philos. Igor Mikhaylov. Following presentations were given from the scientists of our Department: D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg, D.Sc. in philos. Irena Vdovina, D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin, Ph.D. in philos. Igor Mikhaylov.

• 2013 г., August 29–30, Moscow. – Conference of Russian Academy of Sciences «The Present and the Future of science in Russia. Place and role Russian Academy of Sciences». Москва). Ph.D. in philos. Igor Mikhaylov took part in the Organizing Committee from our Department.

Seminars

Seminar «Contemporary Western Philosophy: problems and tendencies». (dierected by Ph.D. Igor Mikhaylov).
List of hte most recent sessions:
January, 22 – Dmitri Kibalchich's presentation «Wilfried Sellars' Philosophical ideas».
April, 25 – Ph.D. Anrej Veretennikov's presentation «History of Idas as a problem».
June, 4 – Ph.D. Anrej Veretennikov's presentation «History of Idas as a problem» (continuation).

Seminar «French Philosophy in Russia» (dierected by D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg, D.Sc. in philos. Irena Vdovina).
List of hte most recent sessions:
February, 12 – discussion of D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin' draft manuscript «Essays on the history of French thought».
March-April – all activiities of the seminar were mainly focuses on the praparatory work for the upcomming conference «The Wisdom of Philosophy».
May, 29 – meeting with Monique Castillo (Paris), one of the Conference participants. The present state of philosophical research in France and the role of philosophy in contemporary French society was discussed.
October, 24 – "Contemporary philosophical and socilogical research in France". Conversation with Ph.D. in sociology Anna Borisenkova (Higher School of Economics) concerning her impressions during a sabbatical visit to France in 2012–2013.

Other internal activities

Theme Event: "35 years with psychoanalysis". A workshop dedicated to Ph.D. Vladimir Starovoitov who in the past 20 years translated and published over 20 books, 3 monographic works and several dosens of scientific articles.

External presentations

April, 17, 2013 г. Ph.D. Igor Mikhaylov made a presentation «The philosophical context of Husserl's theory of time» (the 3d annual seminal "Ontology of Time", organized by The St. Petersburg School of Religion and Philosophy (SRPh). The seminar was conducted in a form of a "webinar" on the basis of the distance learning facilities of the School; a direct link to this session (unfortunately for the visitor of this page all material are in Russian; see also this blog)
December 14-15, a presentation of Ph.D. Vladimir Starovoitov at the National Conference, organized by the Russian psychoanalytical society.
17.01.2013 - Presentation of the book: «Petr Alekseevich Kropotkin» at the Losev's House, organized by D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg. (audiofiles are available here).
D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg have later participated in the presentation of the book series «Russian philosophy in the first half of the 20. century» at the «Biblioglobus» book shop and in Andrej Belyj-Museum.
Oktober 14-16, 2013, D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin particiapted with a lecture in the Interntional conference «XIV Losev' Commemorative readings», held on the occasion of A.F. Losev's 120 anniversary.
Another lecture was given by D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin at the International conference dedicated to G. Florovski's 120-anniversary (the conference proceedeв in Moscow, at the A.I. Solzhenitsyn Library-foundtion of russian emigrancy (18-19 ноября 2013 г.).
D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin particiapted in the organization and the proceedings of the seminar "The Russian Idea" at the Losev's House.
Ph.D. Andrej Veretennikov participated in the proceedings of the following International conferences:

1. «Philosophy of consciousness: problems and perspectives» – St.Petersburg State Univerity, 2013, May 28–29 (link to a description in Russian);
2. «Sociology of Religion in an intercultural paredigm» Higher School of Economics, 2013, September, 15–18;
3. «Negative ontology» – Higher School of Economics, 2013, Oktober, 22–23;

Dmitri Kibalchich – particiapates as a secretary in the proceedings of of the scientific seminar «Problems of consciousness» (IPhRAS).

General list of papers and lectures delivered by the scientists of the Department at the various forums

1. At the International Conference «The Wisdom of Philosophy: the creative path of Paul Ricoeur» (IPhRAS, 2013, May 28–29):

D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg "Paul Ricoeur and the reflexive tradition in philosophy: some aspects".
D.Sc. in philos. Irena Vdovina. "Conference Results".
D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin. P. "Ricoeur and G. Marcel".
Ph.D. in philos. Igor Mikhaylov. "Recognition: А. Honneth and P. Ricoeur".

2. At the scientific conference «Towards a 200 anniversary of Søren Kierkegaard and 100-th Alber Camus anniversary. The situation of choice of a human being in a transformig society» (IPhRAS, 2013, May, 14–15) Ph.D. in philos. Igor Mikhaylov «Trembling creature am I or choice do I have?».

3. Ph.D. Vladimir Starovoitov presented his thesis at the National Conference, organized by the Russian psychoanalytical society (December 14-15, 2013): "Fear, existential and pathological anxiety, productive force of imagination and the possibility of loss"

4. Oktober 14-16, 2013, D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin particiapted with a lecture "The Infinite in the Greek thinking: once again on the well-known problem» at the Interntional conference «XIV Losev' Commemorative readings», held on the occasion of A.F. Losev's 120 anniversary.« (Moscow State University, faculty of philosophy; Losev's House)

5. D.Sc. in philos. Victor Vizgin presented a lecture «Florovskij's theological and philosophical thought and existential philosophy» at the International conference dedicated to G. Florovski's 120-anniversary (the conference proceeded in Moscow, at the A.I. Solzhenitsyn Library-foundtion of russian emigrancy (2013, November, 18-19).

6. 2013 г., August 29–30, Moscow. – Conference of Russian Academy of Sciences «The Present and the Future of science in Russia. Place and role Russian Academy of Sciences». Москва). Ph.D. in philos. Igor Mikhaylov presented a paper «Evaluating in the social sciences. Facts and figures».

Expertise activities

D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg:

Member of IPhRAS Expertise counсil.
Member of Dissertation counсil in history of philosophy (IPhRAS).
Member of Dissertation counсil in history of philosophy (Moscow State University).

D.Sc. in philos. Irena Vdovina:
Member of IPhRAS Scientific counсil (IPhRAS).
Member of Dissertation counсils in history of philosophy (deputy chairman), philosophical anthropology and philosophy of culture (IPhRAS).

Ph.D. Vladimir Starovitov: secretary of the Branch for History of Philosophy (IPhRAS) [until 2013].

Scientific journals advisory boards:

D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg:
Executive secretary of «Istoria filosofii (History of Philsophy)» journal.
Member of the Editorial board of Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences) journal.

D.Sc. in philos. Irena Vdovina:
Member of the Editorial board of Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences) journal.
Member of the Editorial board of «Istorija filosofii (History of Philsophy)» journal.

Jula Rossius: Executive secretary of "Filosopfskij Zhurnal" (Philosophical Journal).
Аlexander Tschikin: editor of the international division of Filosofskie Nauki (Philosophical Sciences) journal.

International collaboration

Participance of the Department in international projects

D.Sc. in philos. Irina Blauberg. Since 2007 – Member of the Society of Friends of Henri Bergson (Paris).

Оlga Machulskaja: a) Russian correspondent of P. Ricoeur Foundation (France); Preparation of annual reports on Paul Ricoeur research in Russia. (Information is presented on the official website of the Paul Ricoeur); b) Director and executive in charge of the program “French for philosophers”; The Russian correspondent in international cooperation program of French academic university.